Opposition MPs Get the Lowdown on 114A

On 28 June 2012, CIJ facilitated a briefing session with Opposition MPs to generate greater awareness of Section 114A among MPs.

Speaking with various members of the Pakatan Rakyat coalition, CIJ co-director Jac sm Kee and lawyer Foong Cheng Leong highlighted two major problems with Section 114A.

First, they expressed their concern that the broad and vague amendment, which applies to both civil and criminal cases, would be open to abuse by all levels of society.

Second, since the amendment makes Internet intermediaries liable for content published on their network, they also feared that Section 114A would encourage costly and unnecessary surveillance of the Internet and stifle the flow of user-generated content that drives much of Malaysia’s burgeoning internet economy.

The briefing session seems to have pushed the Stop 114A campaign one step forward: Shortly after the briefing, Pakatan issued a signed statement urging the government to table a proposal to repeal the amendment to the Evidence Act during the next Parliamentary sitting.